Convenience Store Woman

A memorable novella told in a wonderfully deadpan and caustic fashion, Convenience Store Woman touches on atomisation as well as the broader topic of what it is to be ‘normal’ in a world full of preconceived societal expectations. Based partly on the author's own experiences, Convenience Store Woman is narrated by Keiko. Identifying as a misfit when a child, not fitting in (for example wanting to eat a dead bird found in a park), she finds grounding for the first time in the convenience store where she works from the age of 18. Murata captures wonderfully how the monotonous rhythms of daily life act as a form of reassurance. Outside or away from the convenience store, she feels distinctly more untethered. 18 years on from having started — and having and never having left — Keiko is informed by her friends and colleagues that without a partner or child at the age of 36 she is a failure. Murata skewers the notion of conventional expectations and provides a novel take on a range of feminist arguments. A strange relationship of convenience (the irony is not lost) allows Keiko to gain the respect of her peers, if not happiness. Ultimately she realises the convenience store is where she feels happiest, irrespective of what others may think. Murata's message is a powerful one: follow your dreams and screw everyone else.

By Sayaka Murata